Pen-y-bwlch

The walk up Pen-y-bwlch from Caernarfon isn't long, but it punches well above its weight. You're looking at roughly 45 minutes to the summit if you take the direct route, and the views across the Menai Strait toward Anglesey are genuinely arresting - particularly on a clear day when you can pick out Snowdon in the distance.

It's a proper hill rather than a mountain, which makes it ideal for families who want something more demanding than a stroll but without committing to a full day's hike. The paths are reasonably well-trodden and the gradient, whilst steep in places, never becomes brutal. Kids aged eight upwards will manage it without complaint, though younger ones might find themselves flagging on the way back down.

What you get at the top is that satisfying sense of achievement that comes from any walk with a decent view. The cairn marks the summit, and on a good day the vista justifies the effort. Locals and regular visitors clearly know this spot well - it's busy enough at weekends but rarely crowded in the way honeypot peaks become.

If you're camping at Gyrn Ddu or Aberafon, both within a mile or so, Pen-y-bwlch makes a cracking morning activity before or after a visit to Caernarfon Castle. It's free, takes a couple of hours all in, and beats sitting in a car park. Go early if you can - the light's better and the path feels more yours.